let there just be love. {a meditation}

 

Let this be a simple meditation for you today. As you read each word, just be right here. Breathing. Being. Choosing.

In this moment,

right now,

give yourself permission

to take a breath in

and feel the space 

around your heart

open.

  

And as you exhale,

all the stuff

you are carrying today

slips off your shoulders.

  

For this moment,

let there

just be

love

love 

love.

PS To receive little reminders and stories in your inbox, sign up to receive my (almost) weekly newsletter here.

the time had come

In many ways these words are at the core of the work I'm putting into the world each day. This moment when you decide, "Yes, I have a choice." This is where the magic of realizing you truly can hold the grit in one hand and the beauty in the other and live the heck out of your life no matter what. 

*****

If you'd like encouraging stories about the moments when I'm holding these choices in my hands and deciding to say, "Yes, even this" along with self-care prompts in your inbox, please sign up for my (almost) weekly newsletter right here. I'd love to connect with you. (Yes, you.)

current great.ly favorites

print by Colour Moon over on Great.ly

I keep meaning to tell you that I'm curating some awesome handmade goods over on Great.ly, which is a site where makers and tastemakers can connect. Even though I'm actually a maker, I'm using the site with my "tastemaker" hat on, which is the one I wear as that person who has more than 3 million Pinterest followers. (Still seems crazy to type that.)

As a Great.ly tastemaker, I curate my own little storefront of handmade goods I love and then share them with my peeps. When a love match is made between the maker and the buyer, Great.ly gives me a small commission. This has been a fun way for me to find new artists and curate products in a different way.

Here are a few of my current favorites:

This ring from Marja Germans Gard Studio looks like a crystal but is really made from recycled silver. Gorgeous.

Cats are my bag from Xenotees. Because dude, cat things are really in and this bag is adorbs and if my mom and Jon weren't super allergic to cats, we'd totally have one. I gave Jon one of their tees (different design) a few years ago for Christmas. We're fans.

The Love + Salt Beach Mist by Olivine Atelier is currently in my shopping cart. It just looks awesome. And sometimes you just need to pretend you're at the beach.

So no surprise that I love this terarrium by Sea & Asters. I'm obsessed with anything involving an air plant these days. 

This make your own kangaroo kit is adorable. I actually have one that's a dinosaur that I'm starting soon. It looks pretty darn doable.

Hope you have fun exploring Great.ly. Lots of new (to me) makers over there creating the coolest things!

One Move: The Summer Be Present Retreat

When brainstorming names for the summer retreat, I filled an entire page with ideas and then decided that what I really want to call it is: The juicy, magical gathering of beautiful souls where we will feast and dance by the sea and deeply connect and step into the light of the gorgeous, messy, true lives we want to live retreat.

But that is way too long to put on a mug, so I'm calling it One Move. (And yes, there will be mugs.)

And I'm calling it One Move because it all comes down to this: So many of us have a vision for ourselves that we want to step into - a dream, an idea, a hope, a desire deep inside you. It might be a big idea with many steps that need to happen to make it real. It might be a simpler dream that you could make happen today. It might be starting a new business, being more present to your daily life, writing that book that's inside you, or even just taking 10 minutes out of each day to recharge.

No matter the vision you have swirling inside you, you have to take the first step, then the next, then the one after that. You have to make one move each day to make it happen and to sustain it.

When you make the choice to come to this retreat, you'll be choosing One Bold Move that you want to make in your life.

This move might be big, or it might be really really quiet. You might already have one in mind as you read these words, or you might need to choose one from the many you have inside you.

When you leave the One Move Retreat, you'll have your unique roadmap to guide you wherever your adventures take you.

Registration for One Move has begun! I'm so excited about this new adventure! Each participant will receive a special soul talisman necklace that we'll create together to support where they are on their journey. Also, there will a care package before you arrive that will be full of some fun things to get you excited, including a book we're all going to read and other soul(home)work. And coaching from me before and after...and so many other new and returning good things. There's even going to be a lip-synch off. For real. 

Just 6 spots left at this intimate 10-person retreat on the Oregon Coast. We'll be gathering from June 16-20 in Arch Cape, a little town nestled between Manzanita and Cannon Beach. Learn all the juicy details and register right here.

here

Over here I'm brainstorming plans for my new website (I'm doing it myself on Squarespace 7 like I just did with the new retreats site).

I'm taking Ellie on little adventures, and she's really getting into taking photos and pausing to take them together (post all about her camera adventures coming soon).

I'm creating new items for the shop. First up: new postcards!

I'm diving into to take more "pinnable" photos by creating some new backgrounds to use for jewelry + other good things.

I'm learning that we have come to that stage where Ellie wants to just play on the playground by herself. I don't have to walk around helping and talking to her the whole time. She's probably been there for a long time, but I kind of avoid the playground. When we were at the park this past weekend, I started writing a post in my head called "I'm never been a good playground mom." (So many reasons why.) But this place where I can be there where she can see me and run over for reassurance while she also just dives into playing, this I can do.

I'm soaking up the gratitude for having stood under a magnolia tree while the blue sky winked down at me and I had my camera and was able to capture so many photos of the gorgeousness.

And I'm trying to carry my big camera with me as much as possible. It's helping me really notice the light, the simple joys, the beauty around me.

grief and hummingbirds and feeling all the feelings

I've been missing my grandmother these last few days. Her birthday was Saturday, and she would have been 92...or is it 93 now? It's been 10 years since she died. And even though I had her in my life for 28 years, the 10 years since I've heard her voice feel wide and deep right now.

In the nooks and crannies of this blog you'll find me talking about how spring invites me to miss her deeply while at the same time, it always bringing her back to me. Some days I even sense her around the edges of the pushing toward the sky tulips and the unfurling leaves and the rain as it drips. Some days I even hear her whispering to me.

This is the gift of grief: It breaks us open and teaches us about love in ways we never knew possible.

On Saturday, Ellie and I went on a little artist date adventure around Tacoma and we kept seeing hummingbirds. I was strapping Ellie into her car seat at one point and said, "There's another hummingbird." And she said, "They must have heard you tell me it was Grandma's birthday when we were standing in the backyard and they've come to visit us today." Yes, honey, exactly that.

I guess today, I just really want you to know that you can feel all the feelings when grief arrives. But try remember to keep your heart open to the little unexpected joys and the truths tapping on your shoulder.

Over the weekend, I was looking for something in my blog archives and came across these words from five years ago and felt moved to share them again today.

i heard your laughter today. it rang out inside me like a whisper from long ago. years now. the last time we talked has been almost half a decade ago. in this moment, i want to tell you all that has happened. i was so lost, searching my pockets constantly for a flashlight so i could find my way. and then, through that darkness, that grief, that fear, i suddenly looked up and saw all the lights around me. some were far far in the distance, but they stood there waiting. patiently. while i just kept going, even when i found myself back in the same place for a bit. i would tell you about how i one day realized that the lights were not only surrounding me with their guidance and truth and love, but that the light lived within me. within me. and i knew i would never again be alone. did you learn this truth when you were here? how i wish i could tell you. how i wish i could invite you to stand in your light and know. in this moment, i sit here with this truth within my heart while another light within me grows and twirls and beats each day, waiting. and when she arrives, i will teach her this truth. maybe i am already teaching her. i will teach her about the light within her. i will tell her about the light grief gifted me. i will teach her about the day i thought i was never going to find my way and then i looked up. i will tell her all that you teach me even now. even now when your laughter seems to only live inside me.

the file drawer {8}

 

I keep coming across words from Rumi lately. And I keep nodding my head and feeling less alone. Because here's the thing, there are simply little and not-so-little wounds that we all have. Sometimes they fade. Sometimes they reappear. But somehow even in the grief, there can be light. So much light. I trust this again and again. I hope you can too.

Here are a few things from around the web that have been hanging out in all those tabs I keep open:

This post from Ali brought tears to my eyes. In a good way. In a yes, this kind of way.

Checking out this list of memoirs from Jen Louden. Awesome!

I'm going on a weekend trip in a couple of weeks and am trying to find the right carryon tote to fit over the handle of my Baggalini roller bag. So far I like this and this and this and this. I dream of getting the OG but wish it fit my 15" laptop. Do you have any recommendations?

I'm pretty much in love with this apartment.

I  have homemade poptarts and frittatas on the brain. Thinking I might actually try to make both this weekend. Hmmm...

Let yourself rest. Yes yes yes. Awesome free wallpaper from DesignLoveFest. Serious love for these quotes.

When I'm in my studio by myself, I'm usually listening to the Dolly Parton Pandora station. And you guys, when Luckenbach, Texas by Waylon Jennings comes on, it's like I'm home. I'm not kidding. Something about his rich voice plus the way I can sway to the beat...Home. It is becoming my favorite song ever. For real. It might be next on the "learn for kareoke" list. (Don't you have one? You're gonna need one if you come to the Fall Retreat.)

When I saw Leonie's notes from Growth Summit 2015 on Instagram, I was totally intrigued. And then she put them all in a free download that is totally awesomesauce and I'm curling up with it this weekend.

From me:

There's a new sale section in the shop! You'll find several Where the Forest Meets the Sea necklaces + the intention necklaces on sale over there.

I'm sharing six ways to infuse your selfies with joy over here. I had so much fun writing about self-portraits + am loving sharing photography prompts in Water Your Mama Soul that I'm planning several more posts about this self-care practice that has changed my life over the last ten years. 

Hope your weekend is full of ease and joy. Yes.

Blessings,
Liz 

a peek into my curvy closet | an ode to my new jeans

Oh long and lean jeans how I have been waiting to find someone like you.

You have the perfect trouser-ish look. You fit comfortably at the waist without gapping in the back. You have just enough stretch but you don't stretch and stretch each time I wear you. Your rise is just right. You are soft and my favorite color for jeans. You hug my curves without trying to get too intimate with them. You're perfect for a day in the studio or even for date night.

But most of all you just make me feel good.

The Long and Lean Jeans from Gap are my new favorite favorite favorite. There are so many skinny and boyfriend jeans out there right now, and they can be cute on curvy girls BUT I've missed all the pairs of trouser jeans I've gotten rid of over the years when the thighs gave out...you know what I mean, right? I wish I'd used this tutorial (this is a video on Pinterest that starts playing when you click on it). But I digress...

I actually bought two pairs. One in the short length and one in the regular length and I bought them at two different waist sizes (these are sized in "European sizes"). My experience with these is that they are a bit longer than regular jeans, but I also find that jean length varies so much. So often a larger size means longer even though there isn't always a correlation. I kept them both because I actually loved the way both sizes fit. The larger size was a bit big and too long, so I turned them inside out and washed them on hot. For real. They are still about 1/2" too long when I wear them with my higher shoes, so I'm going to try one more wash and dry on high and then I'll use this method to shorten them if need. I'm about 5'5" and I'm wearing the short length above. So the short even works even with my clogs on, but I won't be drying these because I don't want them any shorter. 

This look is my current favorite from the studio to school pick up to grocery store to curled up with a book look.

The shirt is also from Gap (looks like only S is still available; similar here and here and cute plus tee here). The shoes are Dansko and the feather necklace is from my shop. The sweater is Kersh, but I could not find an online store that carries it. Similar looks here and an Eileen Fisher splurge version here. One day soon I'm going to write a post all about my love for Eileen Fisher. 

I'm planning on doing more of these outfit posts and oh my goodness I need to find a spot to take these photos - thinking Ellie and I might go on a scouting drip around Tacoma this weekend looking for spots. Vanessa Simpson of Focus in Photography took this one when she was over shooting some things for me, and I couldn't stop laughing. Good times. 

Note some of these links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you click through and buy something from that shop.